Edith Hamilton German-American educator and author who has been 'recognized as the greatest woman of classicism'. Date of Birth: 12.08.1867 Country: USA

Biography of Edith Hamilton

Edith Hamilton was a German-American educator and author who was acclaimed as the "greatest woman classicist." She was recognized as the foremost female classicist. Her first book, "The Greek Way," was published in 1930 when she was 62 years old. In this work, Hamilton expressed her belief in the clarity of the Greek mind and discussed the great thinkers of Athens who excelled in enlightenment and the interpretation of truth. Among her other publications are "The Roman Way" in 1931, "Mythology" in 1942, and "The Echo of Greece" in 1957. These works continue to be studied in schools and universities, with "Mythology" remaining the primary introduction to the subject of mythology. The New York Times describes Hamilton as a classical philologist with Homeric power and simplicity in her writing, bringing clarity and focusing on the most significant aspects of the Golden Age of Greek culture.

Edith Hamilton was born on August 12, 1867, in Dresden, Germany. She was the daughter of Gertrude Pond Hamilton and scholar Montgomery Hamilton. She had three sisters: Alice, Margaret, and Norah. In 1919, Alice became the first female professor at Harvard University. Reflecting on her childhood in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Hamilton said, "My father was a wealthy man, but he did not live for money. He was more interested in how people used their mental powers." It was for this reason that Montgomery introduced young Edith to the works of ancient literature and began teaching her Latin, French, German, and Greek when she was just 7 years old.

In the early 1880s, she enrolled in Miss Porter's Finishing School for Young Ladies in Farmington, Connecticut. After that, Edith studied at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. After earning a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Science degree, Hamilton was given the opportunity to continue her education in Germany on a scholarship. Upon arrival at the University of Leipzig, she and her sister Alice discovered a considerable number of foreign women. All female students were allowed to attend lectures, but none of them were allowed to participate in discussions. Alice came to Germany to expand her medical knowledge in pathology, while Edith wanted to learn more about Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome. However, according to Alice, Edith was very disappointed with the lectures, which focused more on grammar than the beauty of literature.

When the sisters learned that women in Leipzig still could not earn a doctorate, they decided to try their luck at the University of Munich. Due to the strained relations between Protestants and Catholics, Edith was allowed to attend classes. Protestants managed to secure some concessions, and yet she was warned that she would "sit in a small secluded corner that would be built for her in the lecture hall, behind a green curtain," but nothing more. In reality, she was seated directly facing the audience, next to the lecturer's podium, so that "no one could defile themselves by interacting with her." Failing to earn a doctorate in Germany, Edith Hamilton returned to the United States, where she became the headmistress of a preparatory school for girls in Baltimore. She remained the school's director for 26 years. After retiring, Edith moved to New York City and published a series of works on Greek drama. Although she did not travel to Greece or become an archaeologist, she was recognized as the greatest woman classicist at the age of 62, following the publication of "The Greek Way". For 50 years before that, her "love affair with Greece quietly smoldered, unable to make a statement in the literary world."

In 1957, King Paul I of Greece awarded Edith the Royal Order of Virtue, making her an Honorary Citizen of Athens. This was the happiest moment in Hamilton's life. She passed away on May 31, 1963, in Washington, D.C.